• TASTER DAYS
• THE INLAND WATERS HELMSMAN'S COURSE
• DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE COURSE
• CEVNI COACHING SESSION + TEST
• INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE
• BOAT BUYING
• RYA HELMSMANS COURSE
• THE RYA DIESEL ENGINE COURSE

TASTER DAYS: if you are thinking of hiring a boat for a holiday then one of our Taster Days will help
you 'get the hang of things.' A few hours spent on one of our narrowboats with a qualified RYA instructor
will enable you to look forward to your holiday with confidence.

THE INLAND WATERS HELMSMAN'S COURSE: [IWHC]: This course has been developed jointly by
the Royal Yachting Association and British Waterways to provide the essential practical knowledge and
skills for the safe and proficient navigation of our inland waterways. It assumes no prior knowledge of
boats but will provide both the first time and experienced boaters with plenty of hints and tips to make
their cruising enjoyable and satisfying. On successful completion of the course we are authorised to
award the Inland Waters Helmsman's Certificate. Holiday hire fleets will now give discounts to holders
of this qualification. Also, the IWHC is the first step towards gaining the International Certificate of Competence. This is required if you intend to navigate the inland waterways of Europe. The courses
can be for either one and two-days, for narrowboats or river boats. Courses commence at 9am and
finish at 5pm and take place on the Oxford Canal [narrowboats] or the River Thames [river boats].
Courses can also be run on your own boat if you prefer and this usually works out a little cheaper.

Please ring us for further details.

DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE COURSE: The aim of this course is to give an awareness of the
main systems of a diesel engine so that the boater can take simple measures to prevent mechanical breakdown and rectify defects which do not require workshop support. No pre-course knowledge is
required. The minimum duration of the course is six hours.

CEVNI COACHING SESSION + TEST: A two hour seminar explaining the signs, symbols and
procedures on European inland waterways, followed by test paper.

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE: The ICC is required by some European countries
for certain categories of pleasure boat. RYA publications C1 and C2 "Planning a Foreign Cruise" give
details of the certification required for all European countries. The ICC course is a follow-on to the
RYA Inland Waters Helmsmans course and is held on the River Thames on a 33ft river cruiser, or on
your own boat.

BOAT BUYING: A two hour seminar to help the first-time boat buyer avoid the pitfalls of
wrong decisions.

RYA HELMSMANS COURSE

DECKWORK
Common nautical terms
Handling warps and fenders
Throwing and heaving line or coiled rope
Knots
Securing to bollards, rings, cleats and mooring stakes
Anchor work
HELMSMANSHIP AND BOAT HANDLING
Loading and weight distribution
Steering in a canal and river/control of speed
Interaction and canal effect
Turning
Berthing and unberthing, alongside and between buoys/piles
Recovery of man overboard
PERSONAL SAFETY
Identification of risks - including cold shock
Use of life jackets and buoyancy aids
Avoidance of personal injury, including crushing of limbs when fending off
Special risks to children

BOAT SAFETY
Fire hazards, particularly gas and petrol
Use of fire extinguishers
Watertight integrity
Refloating after grounding

ENGINES
Engine care. Checks to be carried out before starting and while running
Routine periodic check

LOCKS
General Understanding
Operation
Tending lines in locks

BRIDGES AND TUNNELS

Safety
General understanding of operation of bridges and use of tunnels

COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Steering and sailing rules of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
Bye-laws and local regulations, including traffic signals, signs and priorities
Awareness of other national and local regulations

CARE OF ENVIRONMENT

Avoiding damage to boats, banks, flora and fauna
Pollution avoidance
Consideration for other waterway users

THE RYA DIESEL ENGINE COURSE

AIM OF COURSE

To give an awareness of the main systems of a diesel engine so that the boater can take simple
measures to prevent mechanical breakdown and rectify defects which do not require workshop
support. No pre-course knowledge is required. The minimum duration of the course is six hours.
A diesel engine [not necessarily in working condition] will be provided for practical sessions.
No more than six students to one engine. Instructors will have attended an RYA Training Course.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Introduction:

Principles of the diesel engine

The Four Stroke Cycle:

Naturally aspirated engines
Turbocharging
Intercooling/aftercooling

The Fuel System

The basic system
The tank
The water separating pre-filter
Fuel lift pump
The engine fine filter
Injection pump
Injectors
Bleeding the system

The Cooling System

Seawater cooling
Freshwater cooling
Temperature control
The thermostat
The seawater impeller pump

The Air Systems

The airway in
The airway out

Engine Electrical Systems

The basic system
Battery capacity and care
Drive belts
The alternator

Spares and Tool Requirements

Basic spares and tools

Importance of Winterisation and Servicing

Engine lubrication
Transmission lubrication
Winterisation and servicing
Service schedule
Winterisation

Fault Finding